Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Monday, December 30, 1929
Age: 47
Tour of Duty: 15 years, 2 months
Badge Number: 4860
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 30, 1929
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: One shot and killed
Patrolman Michael Langan was fatally wounded during an armed robbery in front of a soft drink parlor at 2745 North Ashland Avenue at 11:45 pm.
Patrolman Langan was in plain clothes inside a soft drink parlor when he observed four men enter. The men were wearing police badges and identified themselves as police officers when they announced a robbery. As Patrolman Langan confronted the men, they opened fire. Patrolman Langan managed to return fire as the four fled from the parlor.
The next day the body of one was found with a bullet wound in his back. He had been stripped of his identification, and his identity was never learned. Two witnesses identified one suspect as a former police officer who had recently been fired for extortion. He fled from Chicago and was never seen again. The other two were never identified.
Patrolman Langan succumbed to his wounds on the way to the hospital. It was his first day back to duty after recovering from a bout of influenza. He had also been shot a few months earlier in a gun battle months with another subject.
Patrolman Langan had served with the Chicago Police Department for 15 years, assigned to the 37th District- Sheffield. He was survived by his wife, daughter, and son.
He is buried at Calvary Cemetary, Evanston, Illinois.